1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of playing a wagering game utilizing a number of standard rules and preferably a standard deck(s) of playing cards. More specifically, the method of the present invention is an enhancement to the game of poker that enables additional betting opportunities and the possibility of higher payout amounts.
2. Background of the Art
Many different wagering games presently exist for use in both home and casino environments. Such games should necessarily be exciting, uncomplicated and easy to learn so as to avoid frustrating the players. Card games such as poker and Twenty-One have gained widespread popularity because of their established ranking of hands and well known rules. Furthermore, each of these games usually involve continuous wagering opportunities for the players thus increasing player participation and excitement. Lastly, the games move fairly quickly to maintain action and activity. All of these factors have created games that are widely accepted and are widely known.
Wagering games have been described in many previous publications such as U.S. Pat. No. 5,364,105 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,288,077. Both of these patents outline the addition of a progressive jackpot component to a Twenty-One game wherein wagers are received for participation in this jackpot component and these wagers are accumulated over a period of time to create a large jackpot. Following completion of a hand, the players may win a jackpot payout based on the final hand received by the player.
Variations in wagering structures can also increase the excitement and acceptance of such wagering games. U.S. Pat. No. 5,417,430 discloses a poker game with an altered wagering scheme thus allowing the player the opportunity to compete for an additional prize or payout.
Other variations can be made to standard games to allow more player opportunity and involvement. U.S. Pat. No. 5,098,107 discloses a game wherein additional symbols are added to increase wagering opportunities. This allows the player the opportunity to place several wagers on different portions of the game while the game is being played. Somewhat similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 3,667,757 discloses a board game wherein the player is given choices regarding alternative strategies for play. Naturally the different strategies chosen have different payoff results. Unfortunately, this game is somewhat complicated and requires a considerable amount of time for the players to learn.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,839,730 describes a side bet game that may be included with the play of a game of Twenty-One. A player makes a side bet that certain predetermined arrangements of cards or events will occur, with the player receiving special bonuses or jackpots when those events occur. For example, the player's side bet wager may cover such predetermined arrangements of cards or events such as any pair, any pair of the same suit, cards of the same suit, pairs of 2′s, pairs of 3′s, straights, flushes, runs of 2′s and 3′s as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,839,730 and the like. An important consideration in the design of the side bet game to be played in combination with the play of a game of Twenty-One is to have the play of the side bet game irrelevant to the play of a game of Twenty-One. For example, if a jackpot is won when a player obtains six consecutive deuces, every player with a knowledge of the probabilities in the play of Twenty-One would be likely to continue taking hits on a count of 10 with five straight deuces, whether or not the side bet was in play with the game of Twenty-One. The game is specifically designed so that the player will not be required to choose a playing strategy that is inconsistent with the generally accepted strategy of the base game.
Many variations in the play of poker-type games have also been introduced to increase the excitement and interest in the play of both table and video versions of poker. For example, in a video version of draw poker, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,356,140 and 5,531,440 teach that after an initial wager, two distinct hands may be dealt, and the player may select between the two hands for continued play of the game. Only a single hand may be played.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,816,915 describes a video poker gaming apparatus in which multiple hands are displayed on a screen and each of the hands is partially revealed (e.g., 1 or more cards, but less than all cards are displayed). The player then elects which one of the multiple displayed hands is to be played, and the draw poker game or stud poker game for that one hand proceeds to a resolution. Again, only a single hand of poker is played.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,863,041 describes Pai Gow Poker with an auxiliary game. In the ordinary play of Pai Gow Poker, seven cards are dealt to a player, and the player divides the hand into a five-card poker hand and a two-card poker hand. Each of the hands made by a player must beat equivalently created hands (five and two-card hands) dealt to the dealer. In addition to the normal play of Pai Gow Poker, a player has the option of placing a bonus bet. The bonus bet encompasses the attainment of hands of a predetermined rank and the award of bonuses for attaining those hands after the bonus bet.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,265,882; 5,395,120 and 5,702,104 teach a casino table card game apparatus and play in which each player's position is provided with three distinct card playing areas or lines. Cards are dealt to a player so that each player may play at least two distinct card games (e.g., from among Twenty-One, modified Draw Poker, and Baccarat). A player makes a first bet in at least two of the different player positions, and cards are dealt to each of those player positions. Different games are played with each separate set of hands, and the play of one game does not directly influence or affect the play of any other game.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,639,092 describes a method of playing a casino table game having multiple casino games. Each player position is provided with distinct playing positions for the different games (such as blackjack, roulette, baccarat, poker and jackpot).
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,494,295 and 5,697,614 describe a casino table card game and apparatus in which a player may select any number of predetermined hand ranking rules to apply to the play of a hand. A player is dealt an initial, partial hand, and the player then elects from that initial hand which set(s) of predetermined hand ranking rules apply to the hand. In a preferred game, the dealer receives two separate bank hands, one that utilizes the hand ranks of standard poker and one that utilizes the hand ranks of low-ball poker. Once each player has received four of his five cards, each player decides which of the dealer's two hands to play against, with the option of playing against both (as in selecting both ways in a Hi-Low poker game). Then each player receives their fifth, and last, card. At this point, the “bank” hands are exposed and each player's hand is compared to the specific “bank” hand, or hands, that they played against, winners are determined, and wagers are settled. The election of playing against a high rank hand, low rank hand or both ways, does not alter the strategy or selection of cards, as only the hand dealt to the player is utilized, without any replacement of cards coincident with play strategy.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,664,781 describes a method and apparatus for playing a poker-type card game. A number of different stud poker hands are dealt on a playing surface and players wager as to which will have the highest stud poker ranking. Game options include choosing the hand with the lowest rank instead of the highest rank. As each hand is fixed and there are no replacement cards, there can be no play of one hand that is influenced by the play of another hand.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,377,993 teaches a form of Twenty-One in which the player's hand and the dealer's hand may be combined after play of the Twenty-One game to try to achieve a predetermined poker hand rank. As the play of the underlying game of Twenty-One is completed before the poker game is initiated, the play of the poker game cannot influence the play of Twenty-One or vice-versa. U.S. Pat. No. 5,288,082 describes a method of playing double hand Marquez, a game in which multiple hand versions of Twenty-One are played with individual players being dealt five cards, the five cards being divided into a two-card front hand and a three-card back hand. The cards in the front hand and the back hand are arranged to make each hand as close to twenty-one as possible, without going over, while at the same time maximizing the value of the front hand with respect to the back hand so that the value of the front hand has a value closer to twenty-one, without exceeding twenty-one. The front hand of the bank player is compared to the front hand of the player and the back hand of the bank player is compared with the back hand of the player, respectively, to determine if the player wins or loses the hand. The play of the cards is intended to be automatic, with no skill involved, and the play of one hand should not interfere with the play of the other hand.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,170,827 describes another poker-type casino table card game. This game may be played at a table with as many as seven players competing against a dealer. The play of the game is fairly complex, with each player having both multiple hands and utilization of a dealer's card. One method of play is to provide each player with three cards, and the dealer is provided with four cards. The dealer's play of cards is predetermined, while the players may select their desired holding. Player's hands are competing directly against the dealer's hand in each of the hands made by the player and the dealer.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,334,613 describes a play of a hand of poker (either as a casino table card game or a video gaming apparatus or computer game), in which a partial hand is provided to a player after an initial wager. The actual hand of poker involves the potential for at least two distinct games of poker being playable from that partial hand. The player may then elect to play one or more of the potential games from at least two distinct games of poker available for play with that hand. The nature of the at least two distinct games is that at least two of the games which may be played from the partial hand require decisions to be made where a decision with regard to a election of play strategy in one poker game that is intended to have or assist in getting a positive outcome is likely to have a negative effect or comprises an adverse strategy in the play of the second game. Various pay tables are provided that differ from each other, with respect to each single game, depending upon whether the player elects to play a single game with the partial poker hand or elects to play at least two games with continued play of the partial poker hand.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,345,823 and 6,237,916 describe a three-card, four-card, or five-card poker game in which various wagers are available to be made on the play of each player's hand.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,416,407 describes a method of playing a multi-draw poker-like game in which a winning hand generates a payout to a player using a computer and a video screen that comprises:                (1) providing a first payout table defining a predetermined set of winning hands of different ranks and payout values selected from a single deck of cards, each card having a different face value and suit, and with the remaining hands from said deck not included within the predetermined set of winning hands not having any payout value;        (2) providing a second payout table defining a predetermined set of winning hands of different ranks and payout values selected from a single deck of cards, each card having a different face value and suit, with the second payout table having at least one payout value different from the payout value established in said first payout table, and with the remaining hands from said deck not included within said predetermined set of winning hands not having any payout value;        (3) registering a wager with the computer;        (4) generating and displaying on the video screen a visual representation of a first hand of five cards randomly selected from the single deck of cards;        (5) determining the rank the first hand with respect to the first payout table from the face value and suit of each represented card;        (6) enabling said player to terminate the game or to designate at least one of said represented cards for replacement;        (7) if said designation is registered, in response thereto replacing at least one designated card in said first hand with a corresponding number of other represented cards randomly generated from the remaining cards in said single deck and displayed on said video screen, the unreplaced cards from said first hand and said replacement cards forming a second hand of five cards, with said second hand replacing said first hand;        (8) determining the rank of said second hand with respect to said first payout table from the face value and suit of each represented card;        (9) giving said player the option of either terminating play and being paid according to said first payout table or of making an additional wager and continuing play;        (10) if said player chooses the option of making an additional wager and continuing play, enabling said player to designate at least one of said represented cards of said second hand for replacement;        (11) if said designation of replacement of said represented cards of said second hand for replacement is registered, in response thereto replacing at least one designated card in said second hand with a corresponding number of other represented cards randomly generated from the remaining cards in said single deck and displayed on said video screen, the unreplaced cards from said second hand and said replacement cards forming a third hand of five cards, with said third hand replacing said second hand;        (12) determining the rank said third hand with respect to the second payout table from the face value and suit of each represented card and thereafter terminating said game; and        (13) upon termination after said first, second, or third hand providing said predetermined payout to said player according to the value of the remaining hand of cards as defined by said first payout table for said first or second hand and as defined by said second payout table for said third hand;whereby a player may make a wager and play a poker game similar to five card draw poker, but in which the player may have the option to make an additional wager and make an additional draw of cards.        
The game of Caribbean Stud® poker is described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,836,553 and 4,861,041. That game basically comprises a card game in which a player and a dealer are each dealt five cards. If the dealer has a poker hand having a value less than Ace-King combination or better, the player automatically wins. If the dealer has a qualifying poker hand having a value of an Ace-King combination or better, then the higher of the player's or the dealer's hand wins. If the player wins, he may also receive a bonus payment depending on the poker rank of his hand. In the commercial play of the game, a side bet is usually required to allow a chance at a progressive jackpot. In Caribbean Stud® poker, it is the dealer's hand that must qualify. As the dealer's hand is partially concealed during play (usually only one card, at most, is displayed to the player before player wagering is complete), the player must always be aware that even ranked player hands can lose to a dealer's hand and no bonus will be paid out unless the side bet has been made, and then usually only to hands having a rank of a flush or higher.
Another very popular poker-style game is described in Webb, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,685,774, 6,056,641 and 6,237,916 and is marketed under the product name Three Card Poker®. In this game, the player makes one or more bets against a dealer's hand and against a pay table. The dealer and players each receive three cards. Players may view their three card hand and fold on the bet against the dealer or place an additional bet. The poker hand ranking hierarchy is slightly different than in five card poker, because of the differences in the frequency of occurrence of certain hands. The dealer's hand must qualify with a Queen high or better in order for the player to win the game against the dealer.
Another poker variant played in private games is called “Pitch and Bitch” poker. The normal play of the game is for each player to ante (the dealer usually being only a random player at the game) and then each player receives five cards in stud fashion (e.g., a] one card down, the next four cards up; or b] one card down, three cards up, and then the last card down), with betting taking place after the second card, the third card, the fourth card and the fifth card. After all five cards have been dealt, any player may pay an amount (usually equal to the ante) to allow that player to discard a card and receive a replacement card, in the same manner as the card replaced (i.e., a replacement down card for an original down card and a replacement up card for an original up card. Another round of wagering then takes place after the replacement card has been offered (and accepted or declined) to each player.
The availability of additional or alternative games of play and especially poker with alternative features that give the player the perception of an edge over the house is desirable in the field to stimulate and maintain player interest.